What Car?

[MaryPoppins]

Insurance cost in the UK is beyond silly these days.

I'd never defend uninsured drivers, but with the prices it's no surprise that there are so many of them.

What colour did you go for Mary?

Black.

I like my cars like my men.

[Clippy]

Black.

I like my cars like my men.

That's you off Troll's Xmas card list!

[doodab]

Estate cars with poke?

There's only one with proper poke and that's an Audi RS6 estate.

killermont motor company l.t.d : AUDI RS6 5.0T FSI V10 RS6 QUATTRO 5DR TIP AUTO

5 litre twin turbo V10 with 580 bhp.

There are a couple of others.

BMW M5 | Auto Express News | News | Auto Express

New Mercedes AMG Estate | Fast Car Magazine

[NickFitz]

Black.

I like my cars like my men.

Wow, they make cars that get you pregnant, steal all your money, then leave the country? Henry Ford would be amazed

[Wilmslow]

Black.

I like my cars like my men.

Hmm... My Velour Focus Ghia is black.....

Only had one accident with a truck on the motorway - also comes with the current driver - what more can you want?!?

[MaryPoppins]

Wow, they make cars that get you pregnant, steal all your money, then leave the country? Henry Ford would be amazed

Drunk posting. Oops.

[ilovehr]

Probably a bit late to add my opinion on Alfas but here goes...

If you're still thinking of buying a 159 then I would think again. I've owned Alfas for a number of years including a 33, a 145, a 147 and a 156. Keeping the faith I bought a 159 in 2006 - after 17 visits to the dealership it was finally bought back by Alfa. Here's the letter I wrote to Chris Nicoll (Alfa UK's head honcho) which finally resulted in the buy back....

Dear Mr Nicoll

RE: Alfa 159 1.9JTDM Turismo - Reg: MK06 RZO

We have been reading your interview in the first issue of Feel UK with great interest and we are very glad I have been given this opportunity to share our feelings with you and ask for your considered response. We have no doubt that you will not publish this email but at least I am now getting through to the organ grinder rather than the monkeys.

We bought an Alfa Romeo 159 1.9Jtdm in March 2006 to replace a 156 we had owned for 3 years. We made the purchase decision based on the perceived improvements that Alfa Romeo had made and were intending to continue making to their brand in the UK . Fat chance of that one coming true!

Sadly, this decision has been one upon which we have been able to repent since purchasing the car and having to deal with the numerous quality and service issues that have arisen since day one. As it stands now having owned the car for one year, I only wish I was able to exit the credit agreement and dispose of the vehicle.

We feel we need to re-state the problems we have encountered so you can get a feeling for the level of frustration we have been suffering.

Since the car was delivered in March ’06, the list of problems has been as follows:

On delivery:

1.Damaged leather on the passenger seat bolster cushion


2.Damaged trim on the steering wheel boss


3.Paint damage to the front bumper around the towing eye cover


4.Paint scratches on the bonnet and C pillar


5.Loose interior light housing


6.Scratched plastic trim on dashboard

These issues were resolved by the dealership (Caledonia in Warrington ) but the leather damage, the steering wheel trim and the front bumper damage are beginning to re-appear…

After delivery:

1.Leaking diesel injector depositing fuel on the exhaust manifold very nearly leading to a fire under the bonnet (This defect represented a major safety hazard and took many weeks to be resolved and a replacement injector fitted.


2.Noises were then heard to be coming from the drive train on gear changes. The vehicle was returned once again to Caledonia and the problem was diagnosed as a faulty driveshaft. The part was ordered and the vehicle once again returned to the dealership for replacement. The car was roadtested and passed as OK by the engineer. The noises were still present (and were marginally worse) and the car was returned once again. At this point my we were advised that “these noises were normal for six-speed gearboxes. This is patently rubbish and was merely said to fob us off – indeed we have a VW Golf in the household with a six-speed gearbox and gear changes are silent…


3.The vehicle was re-examined by the dealership and the problem diagnosed as being an issue with the gearbox. Subsequently we discovered that there are known problems with the 159 gearbox via various Alfa Romeo owners’ forums and indeed on the Fifth Gear television programme. The car was then returned to the dealership (AGAIN) and the gearbox was replaced.


4.On driving the vehicle home from the dealership and collecting our daughter from school, the car was unstable when steering and was making loud noises. The car was returned to the dealership, only for the front nearside suspension assembly to collapse as it had been refitted incorrectly with retaining bolts missing. The whole assembly was re-attached and we were sent away with the problem remedied for a short time. More on this later…


5.Next the car was returned to the dealership to have a new rear seat base fitted as poor construction was causing part of the internal structure of the seat to break through the leather (this was after the issue being conveniently forgotten about and the part not actually ordered as promised).


6.The saga continues - the car was once again returned to the dealership to have the interior light housing re-fitted once again. It appeared that the clips holding the fitting in place were so flimsy that they had broken when the first replacement had been fitted.


7.And more – subsequently the gearbox problem raised its head again. It became difficult to make smooth gear changes and it was also difficult to move the selector from 1st to 2nd and from 6th back to 5th. The gearbox was then replaced FOR A SECOND TIME!


Fortunately around this time, we attended the Alfa experience at Tatton Park in Cheshire (yep, still trying to keep the faith!) and we raised our concerns with Alfa UK staff at the event. Following the event and numerous telephone conversations, we were originally offered a compensation payment of £250 and a free service. We presumed that this was Alfa UK's "insult position" and rejected this paltry offer outright. It was eventually agreed and arranged by ****** ******* at Alfa HO that the vehicle would be bought back from us and replaced. We dutifully returned the car to Reg Vardy in Stockport (as we never wished to set foot in the Caledonia premises again) and waited for the new car to be ordered. We were given a replacement 159 (2.0 Jts) as a temporary measure while the new vehicle was arranged.

Out of the blue, whilst using the replacement vehicle (on which the gearbox was perfect unlike our own) we were asked very forcefully to return the vehicle immediately and we were to take our own car back.

Alfa UK had therefore broken the verbal contract made in October 2006 to buy back the car and we were back to square one.

Under the Sale of Goods act we wrote to Linda ********** at Caledonia to reject the vehicle and this was rejected – presumably as Caledonia are no longer a franchised dealer (or maybe we’re just being cynical…). We sent a further letter in December to Caledonia rejecting their rejection and have as yet received no reply. We have also asked Alfa UK for a transcript of the conversation I had with Aaron in customer care in which the original buy back was offered and as yet this has not been forthcoming.

Just to add to the issues, since receiving the rejection letter from Caledonia the following additional issues have arisen:

1.Loud rattle from behind the front bumper at idle


2.Knocking from the front suspension at full lock (predominantly in reverse)


3.Offside rear seatbelt will not retract


4.Brake fluid warning light illuminates when cornering (the fluid level is correct)


5.Stiff and creaking clutch pedal

We have not had these issues attended to as we are expecting to have the vehicle independently inspected and a full list of issues prepared. Meanwhile, Mrs ********, the main driver of the vehicle is being forced to travel over long distances in a car which we both have lost faith and indeed feel is unsafe.

In the meantime, given your well publicised comments about raising sales, improving customer satisfaction and the supposed “high quality” of the 159 and Brera we would hope you could spare the time to give us a personal response and hopefully a renewed offer to buy back the vehicle to restore our faith in the Alfa brand which has definitely moved down the customer satisfaction rating (not six places up!). Given that one of my fellow Alfaowner.co.uk forum members in Northern Ireland has had his car replaced by Alfa Romeo due to similar quality issues, I am sure that you will move mountains to keep someone who up until now has been a loyal customer of the Alfa Romeo brand.

I look forward to receiving your positive response and hope I am able to pass on a happy ending to the other members of the forum.

Yours sincerely

[gingerjedi]

If you're still thinking of buying a 159 then I would think again...

Yet every single review of the 159 says this model is much more reliable than the Alfa's of old, how strange.

[Qdos Contractor]

I've never had any problems and neither has anyone else I've met who has a 159.

Think you get the odd dud with new cars of any make. Also, the 159s have been further improved post 2008.

[DimPrawn]

I've never owned an Alfa, but have owned two Lancias in the past.

These emoticons sum up the experience from the day I bought it to the day I sold it.



HTH